In Defense of Rachael Ray. Again.
Travel Blog • Michael Yessis • 05.30.08 | 12:41 PM ET
Last time, she faced charges of excessive perkiness. This time, she’s been ridiculously accused of being a terrorist sympathizer for wearing a scarf that some bloggers thought looked like a keffiyeh, a traditional Arab headdress worn by, among others, the late Palestinian leader Yasir Arafat. She wore it in an ad for Dunkin’ Donuts (pictured). The company initially “pooh-poohed the complaints,” according to the Boston Globe, but eventually took down the ad “because the possibility of misperception detracted from its original intention to promote our iced coffee,” reports the New York Times.
So, the scorecard: Dunkin’ Donuts gets a wave of publicity for iced coffee. Right-wing bloggers get to claim another head. And my heart feels diminished by the whole episode.
Over at the Atlantic, though, there’s a bit of comic relief. Jeffrey Goldberg has an idea to help Ray avoid any future Middle East-related wardrobe malfunctions.
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Michael Yessis is the cofounder and coeditor-in-chief of World Hum.
Gerri Curless 05.30.08 | 2:25 PM ET
I saw this this morning and I was like WTH? Political correctness yes but hey it can get SO out of hand!
Ling 05.31.08 | 2:56 AM ET
I’ve seen a lot of idiotic kerfuffles and ‘wardrobe malfunction’ kind of stuff, but this is ridiculous. You could critisize her for looking bad in it, but accusing her of limitating Arafat is a bit over the top…
Rocio 06.01.08 | 4:04 PM ET
It is sad to see how narrow-minded some americans are. We pride ourselves to be “The Land of the Free” but if we can’t fee ourselves frm idiotic and ignorant thoughts, we will never be really “free”.
By Rocio K.
Noland 07.12.08 | 5:59 PM ET
If Rachel Ray is facing so much criticism from this, then so should all those other Hollister scarf sporting women who wear this sort of thing with everyday t-shirts. It’s a fashion statement, not an act of patriotism towards anything unamerican.
Fairings 09.02.08 | 7:40 AM ET
I agree, Noland, and I almost commented on that.
teak furniture 09.08.08 | 10:58 AM ET
Good point, Noland.